Bottle cap

ABSTRACT

A design for a bottle top construction is provided for fabricating difficult hollow articles which comprises an assembly of element shells with a common axis lock-bushing. Thin fingers of the lock-bushing spread apart and function as locks when the article is completed by inserting into the bushing a cylinder such as a bottle screw-top cap. Other insertion devices may be used such as the end of a shaft.

a Q United States Patent 1 1 WW Richards [4 Apr. 25, 1972 BOTTLE CAP 1,524,010 1/1925 Allen ..2l5/38 1,666,541 4/1928 Reutter... [72] i Richa'ds 2,753,911 7/1956 Haslett ..15o/52.1o [73] Assignee: Pharma Plastics, Inc., Baltimore, Md.

, Primary Examiner-Lloyd L. King [22] May I970 Attorney-Walter G. Finch [21] Appl. No.: 38,956

[57] ABSTRACT 52] CL 215/33, 215/43 A A design for a bottle top construction is provided for fabricat- [51] Int Cl 41/02 ing difficult hollow articles which comprises an assembly of [58] Field of Search "215/43 A 9 150/5210 element shells with a common axis lock-bushing. Thin fingers of the lock-bushing spread apart and function as locks when [56] References Cited the article is completed by inserting into the bushing a cylinder such as a bottle screw-top cap. Other insertion UNlTED STATES PATENTS devices may be used such as the end of a shaft.

2,722,328 11/1955 Bell ..2l5/9 X 7 Claims, 6 Drawing Figures 2 J i 22 28 I l8 Patented A ril 25, 1972 3,658,203

Illlll mm a IHVENTUR WARREN R/CHARDS BOTTLE CAP This invention relates generally to bottle cap construction, and more particularly to an assembly of several parts which engage together to form a whole bottle cap of no apparent components. The invention further pertains to a hollow bottle top ornament which is easily formed in separate parts which interlock in a concealed manner.

It is difficult to fabricate certain shapes of ornamental objects in an economical manner. An example in this category are thin walled spheres and hollow knobs especially those with constrictions and deep indentations in their forms. Such shapes are best made in halves which are then assembled together. For aesthetic reasons, normal fasteners which show cannot be used and even if covered by some means, the added cost of the fasteners together with added assembly labor would make it a prohibitive procedure in a competitive market. Cementing of the parts is often impossible as in the case of certain materials such as polyethelene which has no appropriate solvent.

lt is an object of this invention, therefore, to provide hollow cylindrical or spherical articles which are assemblies of several cooperating parts to be joined in locked self-engagement merely by pressing them together.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a' bottle cap construction for fabricating difficult hollow articles which consists of an assembly of element shells with a common axis lock-bushing.

And another object of this invention is to provide a hollow bottle top ornament cap which is easily formed in separate parts which interlock in a concealed manner.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention will become more apparent and understood from the following detailed specification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a hollow bottle cap or ornamental top embodying features of this invention;

FIG. 2 is a vertical cross section of the assembled cap top taken on line 2--2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an exploded view showing the parts of the ornamental bottle top or cap of FIGS. 1 and 2 alligned for assembly; and

FIGS. 4, 5, and 6 are plan views of the three lowermost elements in FIG. 3 taken respectively on lines 4-4, 5-5 and 6 6 in the directions of the arrows.

It will be apparent that the hollow ornamental bottle top or cap 10 shown in FIG. 1 would be difficult if not impossible to make in one piece. If made in parts for ease of machining or molding, other difficulties would arise because of the thin walls of the lightweight economical construction and shape which will not take or conceal normal fasteners. It is practically impossible to cement certain materials such as polyethelene, since molded complementary parts heretofore have rarely been made in this lightness and configuration.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the ornamental top 10 or cap of FIG. 1 is fabricated in several easily machined or molded parts which snap together. Reference numerals 12 and 14 are thin walled complementary body shells, in this case identical, and each formed with reduced diameter portions 16 and 18 so that when placed in contact, these parts match to form the indentation or groove 20 of the assembly 10. Each shell 12 and 14 has a plurality of pins 22 and pin holes 24 which register in the assembled condition and assure the perfection of above match. The openings 26 of the reduced diameter ends 16 and 18 are fluted and have a squared internal surrounding border or shoulder 28.

The large ends of the shells l2 and 14 have inner diametrical grooves 30 and a disc 32, dish-shaped with sharp edge, is provided for snapping into that of the uppermost shell 12.

A bushing 34, preferably of resilient material, has a thin dished flange 36 provided to snap in similar manner into the groove 30 of the lower shell 14. This bushing 34 has a fluted exterior 38 to engage with the fluted openings 26 of the shells 12 and 14.

A plurality of thin flexible fingers 40 extend in an upwardly direction from the bushing 34, normally inclined inwardly. In the case of a typical molded construction, they may be joined together by a thin flash membrane 42. The tips 44 of these fingers 40 thicken abruptly inwardly and are angled vertically at their extreme ends. The interior of the bushing 34 has a fluting 46 which extends onto the lower portions of the fingers 40.

The fluting 46 and the inner diameter of the bushing 34 is dimensioned to engage with a customary fluted, cylindrical, screw-type, bottle cap 50 of the flat top type. It will be noted from FIGS. 2 and 3, that in the final act of assembly of the bottle top or cap 10 to the bottle cap 50, the top surface 48 thereof pushes upwardly between the fingers 40 to force them apart as shown by 40a. The flash membrane 42, if any, is broken under tension and this movement is limited when the surface 48 abuts the thickened tips 44 of the fingers 40. At the same time, the thickened tips 44 overhang the shoulder 28 in hook-like engagement therewith, tightly drawing the two shells 12 and 14 together.

The purpose of the mated fluting of parts 38 and 14 and the parts 38 and 50 is to lock them all together circumferentially so as to resist the forces when screwing the assembled bottle top 10 to a bottle. The pins 22, engaged like dowels in their opposing pinholes 24, serve to accurately align the reduced diameter portions of the shells so there is no apparent parting line between them giving the appearance of one-piece construction.

Other press-in devices may replace the bottle cap reference numeral 48 such as a solid plug, a shaft, or the like, and allow the assembly to be used for door knobs, radio knobs, and iron ornaments, spools, floats and many other such hollow articles.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above teachings. It is therefore, to be understood that within the scope of the apended claims the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. An article assembly, comprising, at least two sections to be assembled together with adjacent surfaces in abutting engagement and each section having an aperture contiguous with the aperture of the other section to form a common aperture within the assembled sections, each section being formed with a shoulder adjacent the exterior edge of the common aperture formed by the associated section, means positionable within said common aperture and formed with movable, outwardly extending fingers which when said means is positioned within said common aperture said fingers extend beyond said aperture and adjacent said shoulder, said fingers being formed with hook-like tip elements at the free ends thereof, and a cylindrical central press means insertable into said finger means for moving said fingers with said tip elements being positioned in engagement with said shoulders.

2. An article assembly, comprising, at least two sections having mating guide pins andspin holes to facilitate aligned assembly of the sections together, each section having an aperture aligned with the other section aperture to form a common aperture of the assembled sections, each section having shoulder means formed therein adjacent the associated aperture, means positionable within said common aperture and having fingers extending outwardly from and generally parallel with the centerline of said common aperture, said fingers being formed with hook-like tip means on the free ends thereof, and a cylindrical central press means insertable into said common aperture and into engagement with said fingers to urge said tip means into engagement with said shoulders.

3. A hollow bottle cap ornament, comprising a plurality of sections having mating registering facilities for assembling the sections together, each section having an aperture which mates with the other section aperture to form a common aperture of the assembled sections, each section having shoulder means formed adjacent to the aperture thereof, an insert positionable within said common aperture and formed with finger means extending therebeyond from said common aperture,

hook-like tip means formed on said finger means, and a cylindrical central press positionable within said insert for moving said finger means to move said tip element means into engagement with said shoulder means when said press means is inserted into said insert in said common aperture.

4. A hollow bottle cap ornament as recited in claim 3, wherein the interior wall surface of said common aperture is fluted and the exterior surface of said insert being fluted to facilitate mating assembly of said fluted surface to thereby preclude relative circumferential movement between the insert and the sections.

5. A hollow bottle cap ornament as recited in claim 3, wherein the interior wall surface of said insert is fluted and the exterior surface of said press means is fluted to facilitate mating assembly of said fluted surfaces to thereby preclude relative circumferential movement between the insert and the press means.

6. A hollow bottle cap ornament as recited in claim 3, wherein at least one of the sections is formed with an internal circumferential groove and said insert is formed with a dished flange at the end opposite from the finger means with peripheral edges thereof being snap-fitted into the circumferential groove.

7. A hollow bottle cap ornament as recited in claim 3, wherein the press means is formed internally with structure complementary to mating structure of a bottle to which the cap is to be assembled and fastened. 

1. An article assembly, comprising, at least two sections to be assembled together with adjacent surfaces in abutting engagement and each section having an aperture contiguous with the aperture of the other section to form a common aperture within the assembled sections, each section being formed with a shoulder adjacent the exterior edge of the common aperture formed by the associated section, means positionable within said common aperture and formed with movable, outwardly extending fingers which when said means is positioned within said common aperture said fingers extend beyond said aperture and adjacent said shoulder, said fingers being formed with hook-like tip elements at the free ends thereof, and a cylindrical central press means insertable into said finger means for moving said fingers with said tip elements being positioned in engagement with said shoulders.
 2. An article assembly, comprising, at least two sections having mating guide pins and pin holes to facilitate aligned assembly of the sections tOgether, each section having an aperture aligned with the other section aperture to form a common aperture of the assembled sections, each section having shoulder means formed therein adjacent the associated aperture, means positionable within said common aperture and having fingers extending outwardly from and generally parallel with the centerline of said common aperture, said fingers being formed with hook-like tip means on the free ends thereof, and a cylindrical central press means insertable into said common aperture and into engagement with said fingers to urge said tip means into engagement with said shoulders.
 3. A hollow bottle cap ornament, comprising a plurality of sections having mating registering facilities for assembling the sections together, each section having an aperture which mates with the other section aperture to form a common aperture of the assembled sections, each section having shoulder means formed adjacent to the aperture thereof, an insert positionable within said common aperture and formed with finger means extending therebeyond from said common aperture, hook-like tip means formed on said finger means, and a cylindrical central press positionable within said insert for moving said finger means to move said tip element means into engagement with said shoulder means when said press means is inserted into said insert in said common aperture.
 4. A hollow bottle cap ornament as recited in claim 3, wherein the interior wall surface of said common aperture is fluted and the exterior surface of said insert being fluted to facilitate mating assembly of said fluted surface to thereby preclude relative circumferential movement between the insert and the sections.
 5. A hollow bottle cap ornament as recited in claim 3, wherein the interior wall surface of said insert is fluted and the exterior surface of said press means is fluted to facilitate mating assembly of said fluted surfaces to thereby preclude relative circumferential movement between the insert and the press means.
 6. A hollow bottle cap ornament as recited in claim 3, wherein at least one of the sections is formed with an internal circumferential groove and said insert is formed with a dished flange at the end opposite from the finger means with peripheral edges thereof being snap-fitted into the circumferential groove.
 7. A hollow bottle cap ornament as recited in claim 3, wherein the press means is formed internally with structure complementary to mating structure of a bottle to which the cap is to be assembled and fastened. 